MapleXO: Transforming Skateboards into Jewelry

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Kemea Smith, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Big Hoop Earrings, a MapleXO best seller.

Portland based company MapleXO, is creating colorful jewelry out of recycled skateboards and industrial skateboard waste, for everyone from life-long skateboarders to boutique shoppers.

Lindsay Jo Holmes founder of MapleXO, began making batches of crude jewelry about ten years ago for friends. “The idea of being able to save even more skateboards from landfills was hugely appealing to her, and MapleXO was formed as a result, gradually growing over the years into what it is today,” says shipping and production manager Quincy Morris.

SLIDES: See MapleXO Jewelry and Accessories Slideshow BELOW

Their goal is to allow old and broken boards to be turned into beautiful products that people enjoy. "Our love for skateboarding serves as the backbone of MapleXO. Skateboards themselves have a relatively limited lifespan and invariably create waste. Being able to give back to the skateboard world in this manner is extremely gratifying for us!”

So how does MXO create worn skateboards into vibrant fun jewelry? The skateboards are usually put into multiple colored piles with the original graphic on the bottom of the board. A lot of sawing and sanding methods are used before adding the last touch, a high quality clear finish. Morris adds that, “we don't add anything to our pieces beyond our clear finishes. The beauty is in each board, we just help reveal it!”

Their best sellers include the Big Hoop earrings, which display the scrapes and wheel bites from the original skateboard, as well as the matching Classic Bangle Set. The Tiny Stud earrings come in different colors to complement your wardrobe or cater to your mood, and are consistently popular.

MXO also sells home accessories like magnets, coasters and a table lamp. Morris says “Our bottle openers, both large and small, have been selling non-stop since their release. Portland being the drinking town it is, this comes as no big surprise, though their appeal extends far outside this city.”

Board in a bottle necklace, part of the Keepsake Collection. Photo Credit: Maple XO

Their new Spring/Summer 2014 collection, The Golden Hour, is refined and developed using an assortment of different hardware and techniques.

MXO recently partnered with Portland’s Case-of-Bass, a company that hand builds portable sound systems. They created a four foot skateboard ramp and boombox, made out of the wood scraps of skateboards for Portland’s National Go-Skate-Day.

Up next for MXO is a new Fall/ Winter collection. “The launch of our Fall/Winter Collection is rapidly approaching and with it we intend to expand on our previous designs with the use of new techniques and other means of production. We're always aiming to push MapleXO to new levels in terms of design innovation and quality with each new collection!”

You can find Maple XO jewelry online, and locally at Betsy and Iya, Daddies Board Shop, Wild Fang, and Radish Underground.

Homepage Photo Credit: MapleXO

Related Slideshow: Slideshow: MapleXO jewelry and accessories.

Portland based company MapleXO, is creating colorful jewelry out of recycled skateboards and industrial skateboard waste, for everyone from life-long skateboarders to boutique shoppers.

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Big Hoop Earrings

$42.00

Buy it here

"Our best seller and a MapleXO classic... Big Hoops are crafted out of skateboards and made to hang from your ears. The original skateboard graphic covers the backside of the earring, displaying the wheel bites and scratches from the skateboarder who rode the board in its past life. The front side of these earrings reveals the colored plies within the skateboard. They spin as you wear them to reveal each side of the skateboard. Share a story and save a skateboard with a pair of Big Hoops."

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Classic Bangle Set

$48.00

Buy it here

"Our set of two classic bangles made from the same recycled skateboard. These bracelets share a perforated tag with a broken skateboard half on each side. Perfect for a pair of best friends who want to wear a stylish symbol of their bond, or if you simply want a matching pair of bracelets! Share a story and save a skateboard with a Classic Bangle Set."

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Board in a Bottle

Necklace: Keepsake Collection

$30.00

Buy it here

"The Board in a Bottle Necklace, part of MapleXO's Spring/Summer '13 line, uses a tiny glass flasket filled with a rainbow of colorful skateboard sawdust. The processes behind making our jewelry and accessories leave us with mountains of this delightful dust, and we have finally found it a home! Suspended from 30" of gold-filled chain, this vibrant charm necklace adds a splash of color and style to any wardrobe."

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High Rise Necklace

$68.00

Buy it here

"MapleXO's High Rise Necklace has a one-of-a-kind pendant made from recycled skateboards, hanging from brass skateboard clasps and 18" of adjustable, gold-filled chain. Stripes of color cast downward to mirror Portland's skyline as one might find revealed in the Willamette River, which juts through the beautiful metropolis, serving to both empower and humble us with its scale and splendor."

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Bottle Opener- Small

$19.99

Buy it here

"MapleXO's new convenient and stylish Bottle Opener (Small) is the perfect addition to any household. Made from heat-treated stainless steel and the industrial waste of skateboard manufacturing. Measuring 4.75" x 1.125" it's a perfect size for home use or travel. An eyelet provides easy accessibility for the avid and/or professional bottle opener. Help reduce the environmental footprint of skateboarding by grabbing yourself a MapleXO Bottle Opener!"

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Strata Stud Earrings

$20.00

Buy it here

"MapleXO's Strata Stud Earrings are handcrafted from the scraps of skateboard manufacturing. These simple, striped round studs are 1/2" in diameter and come in a variety of colors, with sterling ear posts attached to the backside. A versatile complement to any wardrobe. Help reduce the environmental footprint of skateboarding with the Strata Stud Earrings."

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Skate Lamp

$595.00

Buy it here

"A bent lamination table lamp made to order from the industrial waste of skateboard manufacturing.This lamp is a collaboration project between Paul Sykes of Sykes Wood Fenders and MapleXO. Sykes is an incredible woodworker from Portland OR, who makes everything from wooden bicycle fenders to hi-end furniture and store fixtures."